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HA seeks high-rise alternatives for offsite factory after combustibles ban
A housing association has confirmed that its new offsite housebuilding factory has been affected by the government’s ban on combustible building materials.
Swan opened its 75,000 square foot housebuilding factory in Basildon last year, with plans to deliver 600 units annually for developments of up to nine storeys.
The 11,000-home landlord manufactures cross-laminated timber (CLT) units at the factory and then transports them to be fully assembled on or near the development site.
However, CLT is combustible and is therefore now banned for use in the external walls of buildings six storeys or higher following regulations brought forward by ministers last month as a response to the Grenfell Tower fire.
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A spokesperson for Swan told Inside Housing: “We are fully satisfied that CLT is an inherently safe product which responds very well under fire conditions.
“Unfortunately, the blanket ban on combustible materials has had the (possibly unintended) consequence of banning a material that has been extensively tested and is used worldwide in high-rise construction.
“However, as always, Swan is committed to complying fully with legislation.
“We will therefore continue to innovate and intend to find a suitable modular solution for high-rise buildings above 18 metres to comply with the revised building regulations.”
The association said that the ban does not affect any schemes currently on the factory production line and that it will continue to build schemes below 18 metres using CLT.
Midlands housing association Accord also opened an offsite factory in October, but Inside Housing understands it does not expect homes built through the plant to be affected by the combustibles ban.
Update: at 15.36pm 20/12/18 the story was edited to reflect that the units built in the factory are modular and not panelised following information provided by Swan
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